After a speeding motorcyclist nearly crashed into IDLES frontman Joe Talbot, he began to reflect on the journey of life and death, resulting in the contents of the band's latest album, CRAWLER. IDLES' guitarist Mark Bowen worked with Kenny Beats (Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs) to produce the album.

Talbot shared, “We want people who’ve gone through trauma, heartbreak, and loss to feel like they’re not alone. This album shows the ugly side of where those things come from, but also how it is possible to reclaim joy from those experiences.” He also noted, “This whole album, I tried to be more of a storyteller than I’ve ever been before, and more poetic, which I think is more honest, in an ironic way, than trying to be as blunt and down the line as possible.”